there's a leaf on the top of this oak in my front yard. no other leaves remain from last summer's foilage but this one. its been on that tree as long as i've been in this house. he's hardheaded, this leaf, just like me. i've photographed him. he knows. he poses.

in the summer sun when we first moved in and he still had summer leaf friends hangin out up there on the branches with him. he smiled, even said "cheeeeeese". in a fall rain storm, where the wind whipped and water poured. some of his friends fell to the ground, but he held on and looked grimly into the lense of my camera. again, the morning after a nasty winter snow storm. i went out to survey the damage. i looked all around and then suddenly up to my leaf friend at the top of the oak. he was still there. cold as shit, i'm sure, but there for his close up.

he's still up there. i checked this morning. steadfast and resolute, this leaf friend of mine. i wonder how long he'll stay once the new spring and summer leaves grow in to push him out. i'm moving at the end of this summer. i may just climb up there and get him, take him with me. he reminds me of myself.